The Johnslingtons

How does one pack for a five month trip?

Well, you pack a few days’ worth of stuff and do laundry on the way. That’s basically it, and has been my philosophy on going places for a while. Simple…

And totally not quite right. You don’t just pack seven days’ worth of your normal clothes into a suitcase and go… mainly because Real Life isn’t much like Going Places Life. The latter has lots more walking, fewer chances to dress up. Although – nobody’s been dressing up much these days, have they?

• 1 pair of Eddie Bauer Travel Pants. I had an old pair that lasted me about 12 years, but at this point they’re so baggy that have to roll them up to wear them at all.
• 1 pair of jeans. Lots of super-backpacker types scorn ’em, but Jodi from Legal Nomads is right.
• 1 pair of Prana hiking shorts. They’re new, hope they work OK.
• 1 pair of older regular shorts – I think they’re from Quicksilver. Similar to the jeans idea above – at some point you want to wear something relatively normal-looking.
• Two Icebreaker short-sleeve shirts.
• One Icebreaker long-sleeve shirt. Icebreaker shirts are the best, and I’ll take no arguments. Wear ’em for a week and they don’t smell at all! Kind of a miracle.
• Two cotton T-shirts. These are a maybe. Again, sometimes you want something normal.
• Underwear. 3 pairs. These are comfy and dry in a flash.
• Darn Tough socks (3 pairs). Best socks I’ve ever had. I like the DTs because they work well for hiking, but can also just feel like regular socks in a pinch. We’re not going anywhere super-cold, so I don’t need my ridiculously thick winter warmers.
• Patagonia Torrentshell rain jacket. I’d been wearing a Marmot PreCip for years, this is a way to try something new. I love the Patagonia ethos, so…
• REI Co-Op 650 down jacket. For when it gets cold.
• Ancient North Face Fleece Pullover. I’ve had one for years – for when it’s less cold.
• Ancient North Face Travel Shirt With Buttons. For nicer occasions.
• Running stuff – shorts, shirt, socks, shoes, hat. Non-negotiable.
• Flip flops (new ones from Reef, as my older ones have a hole in the bottom)
• Merrell Altalight hiking shoes. I’ve gone through many pairs of Merrells over the years, and I wanted something that could almost go casual, if you don’t look too hard. These fit the bill.
• Two hats – baseball (SF represent!) and wide-brimmed floppy/dorky for hiking and sun shade.